Musical instrument



Nov. 13,1928. I 1,691,168

a J. RAPSEVEZ v MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Filed March 28, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG";

WITNESSE-S z/ INVENTOR: 53 g i m' l '7 M I M f: Y I ATTORNEY Nov. 13, 1928. 1 1,691,168

. J. RAPSEVEZ v MUS ICAL INSTRUMENT Filed March 28, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IIIIJ WITNESSES.

$65856 v I 60 1 fi l/ w),

JNVENTOR:

A TTORNEY.

I Patented Nov.;13, 1928. v

JOSEPH RAPSEVEZ, F PHILADELPHIA, YENNSYLVANIAL insIcAL INSTRUMENT.

Application filed March 28, 1927. Serial No. 178,890.

invention relates-to musical instruments and more particularly to certain improvements in violins andhas for its'principal objectto provide an instrument having means for amplifying the tones thereof.

' This object, and other'advantageous ends which will be described hereinafter, I attain in the following manner, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 represents'a violin made in accordance with my'invention, Figure 2 a planview of the horn element shown in Figureil, c i

Figure 3 an enlarged sectional view taken substantially on 1ine3'-3 on Figure 1, and

Figure 4, anenlarged cross sectional view taken on line 1- i on Figure 1.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, the violin 5 is sowell known in the art that it needs no particular description other than that necessary for. an explanation of my invention. Inserted in violin 5 is a horn 6 having an upturned bowl 7 'anda flared mouth 8 Horn 6 is secured to. blocks 9, whichlare preferably glued to the back 10 of violin 5, by means of a strap 11 and is so located that bowl 7 overlaps a portion of Fs12 while its edge is disposed in close proximity to sound bar 13. v Mouth 8 extends from violin 5 at anangle to neck 14 andis so disposed, relatively thereto, that it does not interfere with the fingering of the strings 15. The upper end of horn 6 is held in such -positio11, by passing through an aperture formedin the-side16 of the violin'body, that its body part does not come in contact with either the back 10 or the front 17 of the I p body, and a bowl on the inner end of the horn covering a portion of said apertures.

' violin. g

i In playin theinstrument, the vibrations of strings 10 are transmitted by bridge 18 to front 17, causing vibration thereofwhich is amplified by sound bar-13, while some of the vibrations are transmitted tothe back 10 by sound post 19.

In thus transmitting the vibrations, a great deal of their strength is lost or absorbed by the body of the violin and my invention is designed to amplifysome of these vibrations. By disposing bowl 7 under a portion of Fs 12 in close proximity to sound in a favorable position to receive a large number of vibrationsvset up by strings 15.

These vibrations are greatly: amplified by the horn so that the sound produced by the horn greatly augments the sounds produced by viol n 5, thus greatly increasing the volume'of the combined instrument without increasing its size or changing its tone. By changing the size and tonal qualities of horn (t the tonal effect produced by the violin is materially changed. The seleetionand installation of horn 6 is easily within the ability of any violin maker who possesses an ear for music and an instrument may be produced which will meet the requirements of any individual. 7

'lVhile I have described my invention as taking a particular form, it will be understood that modifications may be made Without departing from the spirit thereof, and hence I do not limitlmyself to the precise construction set forth, but consider that I am at liberty to make such changes and altera tions as fairly come within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim r 1., A stringed musical instrument includinga hollow violin body having front, back andside walls, a horn disposed partly within the body and extending throughone of the side Walls, and a bowl on the inner end of the horn having its opening disposed in close proxlmity to the front wall;

2. A stringed musical instrument including a violin body having F shaped apertures thereln, a horn'ttsposed partly within the 3. A stringed musical instrument including a body having F shaped apertures therein, a

sound board secured inside the body, a horn disposed partly, within the body, and a bowl on the inner end of the horn disposed in close proxlmlty to the sound board and overlapi.-

ping a portion of the apertures. s

i. In a violin having a hollow body, F- shaped apertures in its front wall, a sound bar within the body, and a sound post snugly fitted between the front and rear Walls of the body, means for amplifying sounds ping a portion of the apertures, and a mouth produced by the violin including blocks seformed on the horn exterior of the violin cured to the ear with of the body, a, horn body. 10 secured to the blocks and extending through In testimony whereof I have signed my the side of the body, a bowl formed on the mum t thi s c'fi ation inner end of the horn in close proximity to the sound bar and sound post and overlap- JOSEPH RAPSEVEZ. 

